Method of and apparatus for glazing and decorating



Feb. 19, 1924. C. DRESSLER- METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GLAZING AND DECORATING Original Filed May 17 1920 sum as mmmmumm "CONBAD-DRFSSLEB, or cLnv-mnnn nm, ass'renon 'ro' rcnn'nnnnn' Tun- 1m. mus, me, or roan, n; Y., a conronn'rzon',or nnw yer v nmrnon or am) Amt.

mus ran GLAZDTG Ann nnconarmal Application filed Ma 17,1920, Serial no. 382,001. Renewed J'u1y 17, an. I

To all cbfiowiit camera:-

Be it known that I, CONRAD Dnnssnnm'a subject of the King of Great Britain, and

resident of Cleveland, in the county of -Guyahoga and State of. Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Glazing and Decorating, of which the following is a specification. I

My present invention consists in improvements in kiln construction and operation especially devised for the firing and glazing in a continuous tunnel kiln of ceramic ware from which gases or vapors are distilled, either from the body of the ware or from the glaze forming coating applied to the. latter, when the ware is fired up, and which gases and vapors have a detrimental effect upon the flow and setting of the glaze formed, it permitted to remain in contact with the ware in the further heating of the latter. v

My inventionmay be advantageously employed, for example, in the manufacture of terra cotta when made, as is common in some localities, from a shale clay containing sulphur and shale oil, and in the manufacture of decorated china. When terra cotta is made from a clay containing sulphur and shale oil, the sulphur and shale oil are distilled and burned out of the ware during an initial stage of the firing operation, and the ware must be protected against exposure to an atmosphere containing the sulphur and carbonaceous vapors thus driven out of the ware during the final stages of the glaze firing o eration because of the detrimental efi'ect 0 such an atmosphere on the formation of the glaze. In the manufacture of decorated china or earthen ware the over glaze coloring or decoration applied to the ware when the latter is in the glazed form, generally contains a substance or substances vaporized during van initial stage in the over laze firing operation and which, if present in the atmosphere to which the ware is exosed in the subsequent stages of the glaze iiring operation, will have a detrimental effect upon the glaze formation. This is true,

for enaniple, where liquid or other gold is applied tothe ware in the form ofa' old-- in a continuous tunnel kiln through which the ware1s passed and in which it is gradually heated up to the temperatures at which the glaze is formed and sets, the ware being ordinarily cooled down to permit its safe exosure to atmospheric temperatures in a hnal ware cooling zone of the kiln. While my invention in its broader aspects may be carried out in various forms of continuous tunnel kilns I preferably'employ a mufie heated kiln, and particularly a muflle heated kiln of the internal combustion chamber type disclosed in my prior Patents 1023628 and 1170428. In this internal combustion chamber type of kiln the transfer of heat from the combustion chambers to the wars is wholly or'mainly by a convection current circulation of the kiln atmosphere.

With whatever type of tunnel kiln I- may employ, I provide outlets through the wall,

of the kiln chamber for the removal of the vapors driven out of the ware and which would .injuriously afiect the ware if in contact with the latter during the final stages of the lazing operation. These outlets open from t e zone of the chamber in which the vapors or gases to be removed are generated. When carrying out In invention with the preferred internal com ustion chamber type of kiln referred to above, I so regulate the pressure conditions within the kiln chamber and at the vapor outlets that while there may be a gentle inflow of air into the distillation zone from the kiln chamber zones at each end of the distillation zone, the Con sequent longitudinal flow through the kiln will not be of a character to materially interfere with the convection currentQcirculation transverse to the length of the kiln, by

i which heat is transferred from the conibustion chambers to the Ware .1 advan tageousl employ also, a special arrangement barriers in the kiln chamber to h-minimize longitudinal flow in the latter.

The various features of novelty which characterize" my invention are pointed out with articularity in the claims annexed to and 0g a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, v

however, and the advantages possessed by it reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter In which I have illustrated a preferred kiln construction and preferred method of operation. 7 Of the drawings;

, Fig. l is a somewhat dlagrammatic sectional elevation of a kiln.

Fig. 2 is a section taken similarly to Fig.

. 1 but on a larger scale and showing a portion of the kiln of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial section taken similarly to Fig. 2 but on a still larger scale,

And Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fi 3.

The continuous tunnel kiln A, shown in the drawings, comprises an elongated kiln chamber in ;which are located combustion chambers C resting on benches A at the opposite sides of the pathway through t.'c kiln for thegoods. The latter are moved through the kiln on the usual cars J which "enter-the kiln at one end past a normally I: posite end pastthe normally closed door .The combustion chambers C are each supclosed door B, and leave the kiln at the 0.

plied with a gas or oil fuel and withair for its combustion at or adjacent one end of the chamber and at its oppositeend each chamher is connected to a group of pipes D which form extensions of the combustion chamher running tothe entrance end of the kiln where they are connected to a header l). The headers D have outlets connected to a tunnel or duct E running to a stack, not shown, or other suitable draft creatlng device for removing products of combustion.

- As shown, each combustion chamber is prothe chamber and are there connected to headers T receivingatmospheric air through inlets I. In so far as above described the kiln shown is a typical Dressler kiln.

' {1, are

The combustion chambers C are refers ably formed of hollow tile sections ingopen ended circulation channels C, such as are usually employed in theDressler kiln except for certain special sections CA. The

edges of the sectionsCA project transverselyfrom the combustion chambers proper. As shown a barrier port CAis mounted on top of each section CA. Each section CA unites with a section CA of the other combustion chamber" and with the corresponding barrier ports CA. and with projections rd depending from the roof of the kiln to form a partition or bame wall extending transversely across the kiln chamber and formed with an opening for the goods carrying cars and the goods carried by the lattezu The clearance required for safety is provided between the pathway for the goods and theiedges of these openings. The projections M are fire clay sections which pro- 'ect into the upper portion of the kiln cha mer through kerfs A formed in the kiln roof. The sections M are formed at their upper ends with lateral flanges M which rest on the kiln roof at the marginal edges of thekerfs A. The kerfs A are preferably formed in part of the expansion joint provisions in the kiln wall the side wall portions of the expansion joints being indicated at A. The transverse bames or partitions formed by the'parts CA, CA. and i M divide the kiln chamber in which they are located 'into a series of gas chambers open at their side and lower edges to the goods pathway and normally communicating with one another only through the necessary clearance spaces provided between the edges of the partitions and the goods and goods carrying means. advantageously the roof of the distillation zone of the kiln in which these chambers are located are raised to increase the volume of theavault portion of the chambers. From each of the gas chambers thus formed one or more, and as shown, two outlets O are provided. The outlets 0 open through the roof of the kiln chamber and as shown each comprises in external stack section and is provided with a regulating damper whereby a regulated suction may be impressed on each of the outlets O. P represents the usual openings P formed in the roof of the kiln to receive the pyrometers for measurin the temperature of the kiln at intervals a ing its length. In the contemplated mode of use of the apparatus shown in the drawings, the ware to b glazed or decorated is moved slowlv through the kiln chamber from its entrance to its exit end. As the ware moves through the kiln it 'is gradually brought up to the maximum .temperaturerequired, and is thereafter gradually cooled by its passage through the cooling zone of the kiln traversed bythe heat absorbing pipes I. The

artitions formed by the i 1 B1 are located in the r; v kiln in which detrimental vapors and gases are driven out of the ware. These vapors are withdrawn through the corresponding outlets O. B exerting the proper suction efiect on the erent outlets O, the objectionable vapors'may be wholly withdrawn from the zone of the kiln in which they are generated. Advantageously the suction on the outlets O is so re ated that there will be a, slight tendency or air to flow through the portions of the kiln chamber at each side of'the distillation zone into the latter, and restricted air inlet air. The ion 'tudinal flow of the air throiigh the en portion of the chamber required to prevent any possible flow out of the distillation zone towards the ends of the kiln chamber is relatively insignificent in amount with the bafile arrangement disclosed, and need not interfere to'any appreciable extent with the normal convection current circulation of thekiln atmosphere in any portion of the kiln chamber. If some of the outlets O are closed oil entirely and the location of the open outlets is varied the same kiln maybe used to treat different wares some of which give ofi objectionable vapors at one temperature, while others give off their objectionable vapors at other tem- .peratures.

While in accordance with the provisions of 7 the statutes I have illustrated and described the best form ofvmy invention now known to me it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the disclosed form of carrying out my invention without departing from the spirit of the in vention as set forth in the a pended claims 7 and that certain features 0 my invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. In the method of firing and glazing ceramic ware of such character that gases and vapors are distilled therefrom during an initial stage of the glaze firing operation which detrimentally aiiect the glazing operation, if allowed to contact with the ware in a subsequent stage of the glazing operation,

the improvement which consists in passing the ware continuously through anelongated kiln chamber so heated that the ware is gradually raised in temperature to the final temfrom d an initial sta consists 1n p'ammg rts B may be formed in the doors B an B to supply this w: or vapors are distilled there of the glaze firing operation which detnmentally allect the glazing operation if allowed to contact with the ware in a subsequent stage of the glazing operation, the improvement which I the ware continuously through an elongated kiln chamber so heated that the ware is gradually raised in temperature to the final temperature desired, restricting the flow longitudinally of the kiln chamber of the gases and vapors driven out of the were and sucking the said gases and vapors out of the zone 0 the chamber in which they are driven out of the ware. 3. In a continuous tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber with a goods pathway therethrough and combustion chambers at the'sides of the goods pathway, the improvement which consists in barriers formed in part by transverse (p combustion chambers ividing the interior of a portion of the kiln into a series of chainbers communicating with one another only through restricted clearance spaces adjacent the pathway for the goods.

4 In a continuous tunnel kiln com rising an elongated kiln chamber with a g pathway therethrough and combustion chambers at the sides of the goods pathway, the improvement which consists in barriers formed in part by transverse projections from the combustion chambers dividingthe interior of a portion of the kiln into a series of chambers communicating with one another only through restricted clearance spaces adjacent the pathway for the oods, and outlet?1 from said gas chambers t rough the kiln wa 5. In a continuous tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber with a goods pathway therethrough and combustion chamhere within said 'kiln chamber atthe sides of the goods pathway, the improvement which consists in a series of transverse projections from the combustion chambers and transverse depending projections from the roof of the kiln uniting to form a series of transverse artitions across the kiln chamber forme with openin the marginal edges of which fit closely a out the pathway for the goods.

6. In a continuous tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln' chamber with a trackway therethrough for goods carryin cars and with benches at the sides of sai trackwav, combustion chambers mounted on said benches, transverse projections from said combustion chambers and transverse projections depending from the roof of the kiln chamber uniting'with the first mentioned projections to form a series of transverse partitions across the kiln chamber, each formed with an opening for the passage of the d goods n I rojections from the meral edgee in close proximit to the peth v vhy normally filled by the goin on said goods carrying cars.

7. In a tunnel kiln the combination with 5 the kiln chainberroof formed with a'trensverse slot of a series of fire clay sections extending through said slot into the kiln weenie chamber and form at thci outer ends with leteraillfla resting on the Min roof at the merin of said slot. 10

Signe at Cleveland in the county of Guyehogs. and State of Ohio this 12th day of May A. D. 1920.

' CUNRAD DRESSLERB. 

